Apparatus for treating ores by lixiviation



Patented Mar. 7, i899. J. LUCE. f

APPARATUS FDR TREATING DRES BY LIXIVIATION.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1898.\

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(Nu Model.)

No. 620,660. Patant'ed Mar. 7, |899. .1. LUCE. APPARATUS FOR TREATING ORESfBY L|XI V|ATION.

(Application led Apr. 27, 189B.) (No Mndel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W/ TNESSES Harney l No. 620,660. Patented Mar. 7,1899. Luce.

APPARATUS FOB TREATING GRES BY LIXIVIATION.

(Application led Apr. 27, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

me mams Pacis co. Pnooumo.. wAsmNsToN, u cV UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OSEPII LUCE, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ORES BY LIXIVIATIO'N.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,660, dated March 7, 1899.

Application filed April 27, l 898.

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOSEPH LUCE, a citizen o f the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of .Ores by Lixiviation; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of ores by lixiviation; and it consists, first, in a tank for the treatment of ores, provided with a filtering-lining which is applied to its inner side, combined with suitable supports placed inside of the lining, steam-pipes which extend back and forth in the tank, and vertical layers of cloth arranged inside of the pipes, an agitator-tank, a second tank placed below the agitator-tank, and a suitable supply-pipe which connects the two, suitable iiltering-linings applied to the inner sides of the tanks, andan agitator placed in the upper tank, and, second, in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter, whereby ores of all metallic minerals-crude, concentrated by mechanical manipulation or smelting, duc., and containing copper, gold, silver, or other metals-are treated by lixiviation, so as to extract the metal rapidly and economically.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis vertical sectional view of an apparatus which embodiesmy invention complete. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views of the lining applied to both the agitator and the tank. Fig. l is a vertical section of the tank A on an enlarged scale. Fig, 5 is a vertical section of the tank P, also on an enlarged scale.

A represents a sheet-iron conical tank of suitable size which is provided at its upper and larger end with a convex cover B, upon which is mounted suitable supports O, in which is j ournaled the shaft D, provided with beveled gears E, placed in reverse positions toward each other. The shaft D is driven by means of the pulley F continuously in the same direction, while the two gears E are al- Serial No. 679,046. (No model.)

ternately brought into contact with the beveled gear G, secured to the upper end of the shaft H, according to the direction in which the shaft is to be driven. Secured to the shaft is a series of blades I, and to the lower end of the shaft is secured a screw conveyer J. Upon the lowerend of this tank is secured the reservoir K, into one side of which the pipeL extends for the purpose of feeding in the solution which is to be used in connection with the reduced ore, which is fed into the tank through the two manholes or openings M of any convenient shape. The lower portion of the screw conveyer is inclosed within a suitable tube N, which is closed in. any suitable manner until the contents of the tank are to be discharged, and then the lower en d of the tube is opened and the screw made to revolve in the proper direction, when the whole contents of the tank are discharged through a suitable connection O, or the agitator may be placed s o closely above the larger tank P that it can discharge directly into it.

The tank P, which is much larger than the one A, is also made of riveted sheet-iron and sufciently strong to stand a pressure of sixty pounds and which is supported at its smaller lower end by the iron ring Q and the standards R. This tank is also provided with a conical air-tight cover B, through which is made a suitable manhole S, through which the mixture from the tank A is admitted. Also through this cover B' is passed the pipe T, through which the air-pressure is admitted.

At the lower end of the tank P is formed the cylindrical sheet-iron reservoir U, and leading into the bottom of this reservoir on one side is the pipe V, through which the solution is fed, and extending from the opposite side is the pipe W, through which the solution is removed. The bottom Xof this reservoir is made removable, so Vas to form a manhole to enable the tank and reservoir to be cleaned when necessary. Inside of this reservoir C is placed a smaller perforated wall, as shown. The bottom Y of the tank A is made inclined, as shown, toward the screw conveyer Z, which extends horizontally through the tank and is driven by the pulley A upon one end of its shaft. The outer end of the tube in which the conveyer is placed is made removable, so that the tailings can be Ico readily removed when the leaching is completed.

Inside of both the agitator-tank and the large tank P is placed a drainage-lining, as Shown more fully in Figs. 2 and 3 and through which the solution is made to pass in being forced into both of the tanks from the supplypipes. This lining consists of va suitable thickness of asbestos C', which is applied against the wall of the tank with asphaltumvarnish. Against the outer side of this asbestos lining is placed athick coating D' of asphaltum-varnish. Placed inside of the asbestos lining are the drainage boards E', which are made in short sections and provided with saw-teeth-shaped grooves, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to accommodate not only the pipes G', but to allow the drainage and the ow of the solution to take place freely. In these grooves are placed the steam-pipes G', which are heated by exhaust-steam and which excite the solution of the metallic salts and allow a more perfect percolation and drainage of the pulp. Against the inner edges of the boards E' are placed the boards F', which are provided with longitudinal grooves H' vand perforations I' to allowT the solution to pass from the tank into the drainage lining. Against the inner faces of the boards F' are stretched sheets of cloth J' over the grooves in the boards F', so as to assist in the straining of the solution. Against the inner sides of the layers of cloth J' are placed the boards K', similar to those F"and which are also provided with longitudinal grooves L' and perforations O', but which perforations slant downward to avoid the accumulation of slimes in the holes. The perforations I' in the boards F extend about horizontally, as they are protected from the accumulation of slimes therein by the layers Aof cloth.

Above the lining just described is placed the lining P', made of solid wood and which closes the upper part of the drainage-lining to prevent the direct action of the compressed air upon the solution contained in thedrainage-lining during the drawing off of the solution from the tank.

The operation of my machine is as follows: The bottom of the tube Nin the agitator-tank A being closed, proper solution is introduced Vthrough the pipe L into the reservoir K and from which it rises and passes through ,the lining into the center of the tankA until the tank is two-thirds full, when the shaft H, provided with the blades I and the screw 'conveyer J, is set into operation by means of the pulley F. The conveyer being a righthand screw, the first motion given will be a left -hand circular motion, the purpose of which is to keep the conveyer free from pulp and give to the solution and pulp an ascending motion, thus producing a greater and more thorough stirring of the mass, The reduced ore is then introduced into the tank A through the openings M in the top of the cover B, and this ore is brought into direct contact with the solution and triturated into a pulp of a medium consistency. The blades I also serve to agitate and moreV thoroughly mix the ore-With the solution. The agitator being filled with pulp of the proper thickness, the cover or other device used for closing the other end of they pipe N is removed, and the motion of the shaft H is reversed by the shifting of the shaft D or the gears secured thereto. The solution is allowed to iiow into the agitator by the pipe L, as is also the ore from the storage-bins. The pulp is then conveyed and discharged by the screw conveyer J and fed to the leaching-tank P through the manhole S. This leaching-tank has previously been filled with proper solu= tion through the inlet-pipe V, the outlet-pipe W being closed. After the pulp from the agitator-tank has been discharged into the leaching-tank P the manhole S is closed airtight. the tank P diuses readily and settles down in the tank by its own gravity. After the tank has been filled the inlet-pipe V is closed.' Compressed air is then introduced through the pipe T at a pressure of from eight to ten pounds, and the content-s of the tank are allowed to remain under pressure for about two hours, when the pressure is increased to fifteen or twenty pounds. The outlet-pipe W is then opened, and the solution now loaded with the metals under treatment is allowed to run out and stored ready to be submitted to further metallurgical treatment. The leachingtank is emptied through the horizontal screw conveyer Z, placed at the bottom of the tank, and this operation takes place as soon as the solution has been drained off. The pressure in the tank assists in the removal of the pulp. The amount of pulp removed by this operation is equal to oneeighth of the capacity of the tank. The cap of the screw conveyer Q is then opened and The pulp in reaching the solution in IOC IIO

the screw conveyer set in motion by the pulley A'. The pulp is discharged either in wheelbarrows, carts, belt conveyers, or any other devices. The solution having been drained 0E and one-eighth part of the pulp being re-l moved, the outlet-pipe W is closed, as is also the pipe T for the admission of compressed air. Fresh solution is forced into the tank through the inlet-pipe V, and this penetrates into the tank through the strainer applied to the inner side of the tank. When the tank is filled, the inow of the solution is stopped. A new batch of pulpis also fed into the tank from the agitator A, the manhole is closed, compressed air is again introduced, and another leaching operation takes place.

Two hours has been found most favorable forthe leaching under pressure and one hour for the different manipulations of emptying and refilling the one-eighth capacity'of the These successive leacha eeqeeo e l cules of the fine ore into closer contact with the molecules of the solution before the leaching process begins, and by feeding the pulp into the hot solution in the leaching-tank the ore diuses more readily through the liquid and is more thoroughly impregnated by it. By the application of heat and pressure through the introduction of steam and compressed air into the leaching-tank a complete and prompt solution of the metallic salts contained in the ore is obtained. By the application of compressed air during the drainage I excite and render more thorough the percolation of the liquid through the ore, and it shortens considerably the length of duration of the leaching process. Also by the use of compressed air during the discharge of the tailings the time for this operation is shortened very materially. By unloading the leaching-tank between each leaching brings a series of modifications in the relative position of the molecules of the pulp in the tank, and this produces a more intimate contact between them and the solution, the result being a thorough leaching. Also by the partial unloading of the tailings of the `tank and the partial loading of the fresh pulp I obtain an average mixture whose leaching by a standard solution cannot fail to give -a standard electrolyte, so advantageous to the success of subsequent treatments, either chemically or by electrolysis.

The drainage-linin g applied to both the agitator and the leaching-tank is compact in its construction and of great efficiency. It presents a large capacity for ltration and is not liable to clog, as it cleans itself by the alternate passage of the solution in opposite directions during the operations, first, in filling the tank with the solution, and next during the drainage process, when the flow is reversed. By removing the solution from the tank with the help of compressed air Iavoid the stirring of the mass of the pulp and of the solution. By doing so I prevent the molecules from coming unnecessarily in contact with the outside fresh air and being acted upon by it.

The conical shape of the tanks allows the wet pulp to slide down the Walls of the leaching-tanks without any mechanical help, and such sliding motion takes place by the simple action of gravitation. This construction is especially fitted to treat large quantities of ore most economically. The combination of heat and pressure in connection with the appara tus here shown and described is specially advantag'eous.

In Fig. l of the drawings the screw is shown vas being placed in a line with the pipes V W;

but in actual practice they will preferably be placed at right angles to each other.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a tank for the treatment of ores, a lining of asbestos which is applied directly to and covers the walls of the tank, combined with suitable supports placed inside of the asbestos, steam-pipes supported in the tank, and vertical layers of cloth arranged inside of the pipes, substantially as described.

2. In a tank for the treatment of metals, a lining composed of a thickness of asbestos applied to the inner side of the tank, boards E extending vertically in the tank inside of the asbestos, and provided with suitable recesses, and steam-pipes placed in the tank, and supported inl the recesses formed in the edges of the boards, substantially asset forth.

3. In a tank for the treatment of ores, a lining composed of asbestos applied to the inner side of the tank, the notched or recessed boards applied inside of the asbestos, and the steam-pipes placed in the notches in the boards, combined with two thicknesses of grooved perforated boards, and the layers of cloth between the boards, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. l

' JosEPH LUCE.

Vitnesses:

MARY BANDS, BENJAMIN W. JENNENs. 

